While we missed seeing supporters and enthusiasts at PAX East this year, it was an honor to be able to attend and present a full day workshop at the American Occupational Therapy Association conference in Orlando, Florida!
I had the awesome opportunity to present alongside Virginia Spielmann, who was instrumental in developing Critical Core and was a profound inspiration to the development of the Game to Grow Method. The workshop was called Table-Top Role-Playing Games as a Meaningful Play Occupation in Adolescence & Adulthood.
We presented to a group of OTs, many who were brand new to tabletop role-playing games. We shared some basic fundamentals of what makes tabletop RPGs unique, the way they can be valuable tools for growth. We then played Critical Core in small groups, then came back together to discuss how the game can be used intentionally with clients.
I led an adventure we developed for the hospital gaming program in which a magic spoon, infused with chaos magic, brings carrots to life and disrupts a royal fest. My players’ characters, Fremont the barbarian, Moira the fighter, Lava the wizard, and Haven the druid, saved the town, rescued the chef, and returned the magic spoon to the Great Garganoff. They laughed, they learned, they connected with each other, and they will take copies of Critical Core back to their own communities.
It was amazing to share Critical Core and therapeutically applied RPGs with more people!
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